outside our windows

The Christmas lights were officially turned on tonight. They even had a stage show with fireworks threatening to set the canopy on fire, a snow machine spewing out snow over the crowd (I wonder what would have happened if it had started actually snowing?) , various local performing groups (of, ahem, varying degrees of talent but all very enthusiastic), and an (former?) X Factor contestant. The radio station sent extremely enthused deejays. People yelled things like “Hello Cambridgeshire!” at the crowd thronging the square. Two buses of people were whooping it up on top of two red double decker buses.

The mayor showed up in red robes and gold chain, topped off with medievally looking floppy hat, and they lit up the tree, which was actually rather anti-climactic after all the fireworks and things. Huge intro, then — blink! — the little lights all went on.

J pronounced himself whelmed, but his sister and I agreed it was all rather charming, really, and decided the tree lights would have been even nicer if the teacups ride right next to the tree hadn’t been lit up brighter than the tree.